She hadn't seen the green blobby things from above. They looked cozy and soft......but were neither as she crashed into one.They were also much larger in person. The biggest one had a lovely visitor centre with food court and conference rooms available to groups.. but that's not important..Alex took a moment to freshen up and dislodge twigs and leafy things."What are you looking at?" the lizard said, "never seen a green spotted lizard before? It's rude to stare."Alex had to look around for a bit before she noticed him perched on a sink."I had not noticed you until you called attention to yourself so how can I have been rude?""You are staring now," he said in a smug way, "and you are also late!""For what?""The party! You better get moving! It's that way!" He flicked his tiny tail in a general direction. This might be important, she thought, so I better run! She stumbled forward and somehow arrived..."Who could possibly have fun in a room like this?""Well lots of people!" a smiling greenman said. "Well I just crawled out of a green leafy thing moments ago, so I am not in the mood for a party in another. I think I am on my way to somewhere.. and keep getting side tracked. Is there a hole nearby?"He pointed down. "How about that one?""It's far too small..""Why not stay for some tea? We serve a lovely Green Tea."Alex looked into the teapot"There are 'things' in the tea.""All green tea has green turtles in it!""Not where I come from..""Where do you come from?""Question is where am I going?"The smiling greenman pointed in another direction."Now that is a good hole, but there is always a line..""Curiouser and Curiouser!" Alex was on her way again.. maybe it would be the last stop to somewhere, maybe another stop on the way to everywhere.. and it was worth the wait.

Because It's ThereOriginally uploaded by konaboy.Have a Buggy problem? Employ one or more of these guys the answer? Someone in NYC thinks so.. (Thanks Rick for finding this!)

Loose Geckos are the New ExterminatorsWednesday, August 29, 2007, by LockhartWe love crazy correspondence from landlords pretty much more than we love anything, so we're indebted to the tipster who passes along this email from a landlord to one of her tenant at a building in Tribeca. Seems the tenant complained about bugs in the apartment, and requested an exterminator. Reasonable, no? Here's the landlord's response:

"I will use an exterminator but also what about this: I would get a bunch of Gecos and let them loose to eat all the bugs, leaving a sm plate of water on the floor in a dark corner cause they hide in case they don't find water. Gecos can be found on Houston St at John's pet shop, he keeps a glass tank of Gecos."

8.28.2007

TinselOriginally uploaded by lizspikol.Furry friends ( a person in a furry-ish robe is a furry friend right? :) ), cozy robe and crunchy-delish snack.. a picture of pure happiness..Hope you are having a wonderful Two-fur Tuesday!

8.26.2007

Cootchi-CooTen-day-old Macaque Sashko plays with his mother Nadya at a zoo in Bulgaria. Research on free-ranging monkeys on the island of Cayo Santiago near the southeastern coast of Puerto Rico, revealed females use "baby-talk" with other females' young.

Aug. 24, 2007 — A person who excitedly approaches infants and speaks to them in a high-pitched, musical voice has a behavior in common with female monkeys, suggests a new study, which found that female rhesus macaques use "baby talk" when they see another monkey's offspring.

Since "baby talk," also known as "motherese," may be an evolved trait in certain primates, the finding indicates this gentle way of vocalizing could play a key role in promoting positive relationships between parents and babies, as well as between adults and other grown-ups.

"Baby talk" used by the macaques has a soft, nasal sound. It is mostly prompted by the fact that "all monkey females are interested in babies," co-author Dario Maestripieri told Discovery News.

He and colleagues Jessica Whitham and Melissa Gerald documented the sweet-sounding macaque vocalizations — called "grunts" and "girneys" — along with associated behaviors of free-ranging monkeys on the island of Cayo Santiago near the southeastern coast of Puerto Rico.

The study is published in the current issue of the journal Ethology.

While the researchers determined both male and female monkeys have the ability to produce the sounds, they noticed males rarely used them.

Females, on the other hand, nearly always only emitted the sounds when they encountered another female's baby, such as when an infant would wander away from its mother.

Whitham said that "while intently watching infants, females excitedly wag their tails and emit long strings of grunts and girneys."

When the actual mother of the infant approached, one or more other females would sometimes approach the mom and initiate a mutual grooming session.

Although the researchers do not think the sounds communicate specific information, Maestripieri said they believe the calls "are signals used in friendly interactions, to signal that the vocalizer means no harm."

The scientists also believe the sounds help to attract an infant's attention.

"In fact, it could be that humans and monkeys emit sounds that infants find attractive," said Maestripieri. "Babies like to hear what we consider to be baby talk."

He added that humans, and particularly women, the world over use this melodic way of speaking to infants, no matter what the native language of the speaker is.

The main difference between human and monkey motherese, however, is that humans will often use baby talk with their own kids, but rhesus moms do not. That is probably because the monkeys carry their infants on their chest, so "the calls aren't necessary with such constant face-to-face contact," Maestripieri said.

The study adds to research conducted by University of California at Los Angeles anthropologist Joan Silk.

Silk and her team also noticed that grunts and girneys are "effective in facilitating grooming and in reducing aggression."

Baby talk may even help to ease spats between adult female baboons.

After analyzing such conflicts, Silk's group pointed out that one of the baboon combatants might sweetly grunt while approaching a former opponent and her infant. After a few gentle caresses of the baby, all seemed to be forgotten and forgiven.

East Village DuplexOriginally uploaded by happylolday.I think it looks like a Duplex ;) These are birdhouses around the neighborhood. Not sure if its the work of one artist or a class of students. They are shabby cheeky cute :)

East Village MansionOriginally uploaded by happylolday.I took this outside while walking today.. yes a mansion in my neighborhood I could afford! :) Gave me a big smile, hope someone takes it and fixes it up for a lucky Bratz doll :)

Click the photos to go to the individual photographer's sites on Flickr"Blog This" I only use Flickr pictures where the blog function is enabled. This means the photographer has allowed their pictures to be used in blogs. I only want to include people who don't mind being brought into a web world like this. I do not just take what I see.